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Looking Beyond Linear: A Closer Examination of the Relationship Between Wisdom and Wellbeing

Author

Listed:
  • Judith Glück

    (University of Klagenfurt)

  • Nic M. Weststrate

    (University of Illinois at Chicago)

  • Andreas Scherpf

    (University of Klagenfurt)

Abstract

There has been some controversy about the relationship between wisdom and constructs of the well-being complex. Some wisdom researchers argue that the ability to maintain a high level of well-being, even in the face of very negative experiences, is a core characteristic of wisdom. Other researchers argue that the willingness of wise people to reflect on the darker sides of life might jeopardize well-being. Studies mostly found moderate positive correlations of well-being with self-report wisdom measures and negative, zero, or low positive correlations with open-ended measures of wisdom. This paper tests the hypothesis that the relationship between wisdom and well-being is triangular rather than linear, with highly wise people being high in well-being, but people high in well-being not necessarily being highly wise. A sample of 155 participants (age 23 to 90 years) completed four wisdom measures and three measures from the well-being complex. We analyzed both linear relationships (using correlations) and triangular relationships (using Necessary Condition Analysis). Correlations of well-being with open-ended measures of wisdom were mostly insignificant; correlations with self-report measures of wisdom were mostly significant. However, scatterplots showed the expected triangular relationships and Necessary Condition Analysis indicated medium to large effect sizes for both open-ended and self-report wisdom measures. In sum, our findings show that even if wise individuals think more deeply about difficult aspects of the human existence, they are still able to maintain high levels of well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Judith Glück & Nic M. Weststrate & Andreas Scherpf, 2022. "Looking Beyond Linear: A Closer Examination of the Relationship Between Wisdom and Wellbeing," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3285-3313, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:23:y:2022:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-022-00540-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-022-00540-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Monika Ardelt & Dilip V Jeste, 2018. "Wisdom and Hard Times: The Ameliorating Effect of Wisdom on the Negative Association Between Adverse Life Events and Well-Being," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 73(8), pages 1374-1383.
    2. Hannes Zacher & Bernard McKenna & David Rooney, 2013. "Effects of Self-Reported Wisdom on Happiness: Not Much More Than Emotional Intelligence?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(6), pages 1697-1716, December.
    3. Monika Ardelt, 2016. "Disentangling the Relations Between Wisdom and Different Types of Well-Being in Old Age: Findings from a Short-Term Longitudinal Study," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1963-1984, October.
    4. Monika Ardelt & Carladenise A. Edwards, 2016. "Wisdom at the End of Life: An Analysis of Mediating and Moderating Relations Between Wisdom and Subjective Well-Being," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 71(3), pages 502-513.
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    6. Thao Le, 2011. "Life Satisfaction, Openness Value, Self-Transcendence, and Wisdom," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 171-182, April.
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